EndSARS Fallout: Widow threatens suicide

A widow, Mrs Victoria Nwachukwu, lost property valued at over five million naira during the vandalisation of property in the Iseyin community by hoodlums in the wake of the October 2020 #EndSARS protest has threatened to commit suicide if succour did not come her way.

She cried out for help from Nigerians, as she claimed she is depressed.

Mrs Nwachukwu, who lost her husband, a former worker with Sterling Construction Company, about five years ago, had moved to the ancient town of Iseyin from Mbaise, in Imo State in the year 2000 with their three children.

In an interview in Ibadan Tuesday, she told Vanguard that N5million worth of property were vandalised during the protest.

The mother of six lamented amidst sobbing that items like 300W Eleqax power generating set, one Thermacool freezer, two big orthopaedic foams, two gas cookers and cylinders as well as three boxes of her clothes and jewelleries worth 800 hundred thousand naira were carted away.

Also among her stolen possessions were electronics and other household items, cash worth about N350,000 from her business, that was kept in her apartment, among other items too numerous to mention.

She, however, threatened to take her own life if the Oyo State government and the people fail to assist her in her present condition.

Her words: “I lived at Chief Tunde Mustapha’s apartment at Omoloju, in Iseyin, the apartment is beside the office of the Immigration Service and I had travelled for business when I heard of the incident, I rushed back to meet all my possessions stolen and the apartment vandalized.

“I am a widow who made a living from selling clothes, I have six children that I was taking care of through my trade, I can still not understand why I was the target of their attack, all important documents that belonged to my late husband, myself and my children were stolen or thrown away, we are devastated and I have not been alright since then.

“All my business is gone, my possessions, I am left in the cold, I am now living off my people, Governor Seyi Makinde should please help me, people of God should come to our aid, I am depressed and may do anything bad to myself if this continues.”

The EndSARS protest in Iseyin was reported to have been hijacked by hoodlums who attacked all security agencies’ facilities in Iseyin, looting their facilities and personal possessions of the officers and vandalizing many buildings in the process.

Some youths were arrested in connection with the incident, which the Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Abdganiy Salawudeen and the leadership of Iseyin Development Union (I.D.U) described as condemnable, as they claimed that the action of the hoodlums have drawn back the pace of development in the community at the particular period.

The Iseyin Development Union had since then, rebuilt the damaged offices of some of the security operatives while the Iseyin Divisional Police Headquarters at Okutapemo area is still undergoing reconstruction after being burnt down by the mob. (Credit, except for amended headline: Vanguard)